Newburgh, NY (February 3, 2025) – San Miguel Academy of Newburgh is pleased to announce that Lauren and Bob Steers donated $500,000 to the newly launched Grandview Fund for Post-Secondary Opportunities. These funds will help students in the San Miguel Program finish their education and enter the workforce, including filling any gaps in tuition, room and board, internship costs, transportation, and other expenses associated with college or other post-secondary education opportunities. Lauren and Bob Steers: “We believe that every SMA graduate is well deserving of the shot at success—however that is defined. We hope the establishment of the Grandview Fund at San Miguel Academy will help a great number of young adults fulfill their potential and become productive citizens.”
The first recipient, Alexis Mendoza announced the scholarship at San Miguel Program’s annual Defying the Odds Scholarship Dinner in November. Alexis, who graduated from San Miguel Academy in 2020 and The Mount Academy in 2024, started at SUNY Maritime in January, pursuing a degree in international transportation and trade.
The Mission of San Miguel Academy
San Miguel Academy is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Our year-round, STEM-based middle school serves low-opportunity families in Newburgh, NY—a city of 28,751 residents that faces challenges with poverty and violence. In Newburgh, one in four residents lives below the poverty line, a rate more than twice the national average.
Every San Miguel Academy (SMA) student is eligible for free meals under the federal Child Nutrition Program, underscoring the community’s significant economic needs. But our commitment doesn’t end with middle school. SMA makes a 12-year commitment to its students and families, partnering with them through high school, college, and into the workforce. This long-term support has resulted in a 98% high school graduation rate and a 90% placement rate into colleges, trade schools, and the military.
This sustained investment in our students’ futures is integral to breaking the cycle of poverty and changing lives.
